Attention
by You'reMyKindOfTrouble
Summary: Carol catches the eye of some newcomers, but she only has eyes for her boys. Set in 'The Farm' arc. Blatant Carol-worship and fluff and vaguest, tiniest hint at Caryl getting some action? But mostly cuteness. Also starring Caleb because who doesn't love Caryl babies? Set after 'To Win'.


**I finished five days of exams on Tuesday and whipped this up really quickly. I was tired out of my mind because someone told me it was a good idea to study the Asian Five and Drama at Level 3 and I believed them... They lied! As a result I was brain-drained and so if there are any typos or it is generally just awful please don't hate me!**

**Enjoy!**

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><p>Carl and some of the new boys were chopping firewood out near the newest area of wall construction one afternoon, whilst Daryl, Abe, Sasha, Glenn and Maggie stuck large river-rocks into the wet cement as it dried in the afternoon sun. Carol and Michonne patrolled the wall, stalking back and forth along the still-standing part holding guns. Crowbars and sharpened stakes sat at the base of the wall so that if they had to, they could jump down and take out walkers that ventured too close by hand.<p>

"Dude." Muttered one of them. "Your mom is _hot._"

"She's not my mom." Carl said back automatically. Then he straightened. "Wait, what?"

The older boy paused in his stacking of chopped wood, put his hands on his hips, and nodded towards the wall. "With the sub-machine."

Carl cocked an eyebrow in disbelief. "_Carol?_"

"Yeah, think that's her name. Seriously, she taken?"

Carl could only blink at him. "Uh, yeah." He squinted in bafflement. "Come on, man. She has a kid! He's like, three now."

"Just means she knows her way around." The guy snickered. Carl thumped him on the shoulder.

"At least pretend to have some respect." He scowled. "She's not my mom, but she's close enough… Old enough, too. I'm not kidding. Sophia was the same age as me and Daryl _will_ kick your ass if he hears you talking 'bout Carol like that."

The boy snickered again and went back to picking up firewood.

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><p>The sun was just kissing the tallest trees in the forest when Tyreese and three 'newcomers' (although they'd travelling with the original group by the time they'd discovered the farm) arrived to take the first night-watch shift.<p>

Daryl yanked off his gloves and nodded in greeting to them. "Ain't had any all day… Might get a couple attracted to the torches but I don' think y'all are gonna have much trouble."

Tyreese clapped him on the shoulder. "Thanks, man. Venison stew for dinner, damn fine, too."

Daryl nodded appreciatively. "A'ight. Keep your eyes peeled." He headed to the wall where Michonne and Carol were preparing to disembark. He extended an arm up to Michonne, but she curled her lip at him and jumped down, landing lightly on her toes.

"No thanks, prince charming." She grinned at him, flashing her teeth in the orange glow of the sunset. He rolled his eyes at her with a smirk.

"I'll take a handsome prince's help." Carol volunteered from where she was sitting atop the stone wall.

He wriggled his fingertips at her. "C'mon then, Rapunzel."

She giggled and dropped into his arms. He held her off the ground for a moment and pecked her on the lips.

Carl made a gagging sound from behind them as he went past. "Get a room, you two." He groused.

"Take Caleb for the night then, asshole." Daryl shot back as he put Carol down and turned to face the boys. Carol giggled and swatted Daryl playfully.

"Let's head back." She suggested. "Dinner sounds wonderful right about now… And I'm sure your kid misses you, Daryl."

"My kid? Thought you found him on the side of the damn road or somethin'."

Carol snickered and took his hand as they walked, tugging to make him walk slower until they were wandering at a snail's pace well behind the group.

"What'cha playin' at?" Daryl teased, squeezing her fingers and quirking his half-smile at her.

She batted her eyelashes. "I have no idea what you're talking about, Daryl." She glanced over her shoulder to check that they were out of sight of the patrol. "Come on… We don't have all night!" And she hauled him into the cabin that was set up on what was once the perimeter of the wall.

He went willingly, snickering at her enthusiasm.

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><p>Beth was sitting near the fire when the returned to the courtyard, staring absently into the flames.<p>

"There's some stew left over." She offered. "I put it in the oven to keep it warm."

"Thank you, sweetheart." Carol smiled. "How come you're out here all on your lonesome?"

Beth shrugged. "I was waitin' for Tara to get out of the shower… I'm a little worried she's fallen asleep in there, to be honest."

Carol noticed the towel and small bag of toiletries at the girl's feet. "You're alright by yourself?"

"I'm fine." The girl smiled. "I dropped Caleb with Maggie and Glenn. He and Rory are havin' a play date. Is that okay?"

"S'fine. Have a nice night, Beth." Daryl offered her a tiny smile and began gently nudging Carol towards Glenn and Maggie's.

"You too." She returned softly.

They retrieved a sleepy Caleb from Glenn and Maggie's, where he had been curled up with Maggie and Rory whilst she read them a story. Daryl carried him home, murmuring softly as the boy grizzled, and Carol held the door open and let Daryl put him to bed while she checked on their two adopted 'rugrats', as Daryl liked to call them. Michael and Rosie were both soundly asleep in their rooms, but she eased their blankets up around their chins and wished them both sweet dreams anyway.

She popped back in to check on Caleb, who was fast asleep. Daryl was gently stroking his chubby cheek with the knuckles of his left hand.

"He's sweet." She whispered as she slipped under his arm.

"Yeah." Daryl rumbled back.

"I'm going to make tea." She murmured. "Do you want some?"

"If we got any a' that blackcurrant stuff, sure."

"Go wash up." She suggested. "I'll have it by the time you come back."

He kissed her gently and told her off for spoiling him before he headed for his toiletries and headed for the now-empty showers.

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><p>They sat on the sofa, drinking their tea. Carol had been using her collection of natural food books and had so far managed to create both blackcurrant and raspberry teas to supplement the dwindling amounts of conventional tea that they were bringing back from runs.<p>

She had managed to find a recipe for homemade bread and so some of the others had built a stone oven for her to bake it in, rather than slaving over a fire all day. It was useful for almost all other cooking as well, and they made good use of it.

She was currently drawing up a roster for the next month's scheduled runs, and putting a list together of things to look out for.

"Hey." Daryl nudged her gently with his foot. "Y'ever wondered if there's somethin' 'tween Beth an' Tara?"

She looked up from the chart on her lap. "Maybe." She shrugged, surprising him. "I think it's a good thing if there is… They deserve to be happy, don't you think?"

"Yeah. Ain't right what either of 'em been through."

"She came over a little while ago, late at night, remember?" He nodded. "She… She had to do some things, Daryl. Horrible things."

"Like…?" He gave her a meaningful look.

"Yeah."

"Fuck." He breathed. "Poor kid."

She hummed and put her empty mug on the coffee table. "I think she just needed to get it off her chest."

He wrapped his arm around her. "Love you." He said out of nowhere.

She snuggled against his chest. "Love you, too." She returned.

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><p>Carol was struggling to lift the full basin of dishwater from the outside bench to the wastewater drain when she heard the nervous cough and scuffing boot of one of the newest young men.<p>

"Can I help you with that?" He offered. "Carol, right?"

"That's me! I'd love a hand, thank you." She smiled beatifically.

"I don't think we've met." He said as he heaved the basin up. "I'm Michael."

"It's nice to meet you, Michael. My son's name is Michael, too."

"You have a son?"

"He's nine. My daughter is seven, almost eight, and my youngest is three."

"Three kids after the apocalypse?" He puffed out his cheeks. "That takes some courage. You must be one heck of a lady." He flashed her his best grin.

"Their daddy is damn near indestructible." She chuckled. "That may have something to do with it."

"Yeah? He still around?"

She mentally rolled her eyes. She hadn't considered that they boy could get any less subtle, but apparently it was something he was more than capable of. "He most certainly is…" She said with a smile.

"Who is he?" He prodded.

"Hey, brought you breakfast." Daryl headed across the courtyard carrying Caleb. Somebody had found him a tiny sweatshirt to wear that was covered in pictures of bacon and eggs, and it was so soft and warm that it had become a favourite item based merely on it's practicality, never mind the fact that it made everybody groan in mock-disgust whenever somebody made a terrible pun about it.

"Oooh, yum!" Carol said, reaching playfully for the boy. He raced for her once Daryl set him down and threw his arms around her leg.

"Mama!" He babbled at her. "I sawed a deer!"

"Really? Where?" She played along. As Daryl set her plate down, he shot the young man a look that had him backing away.

"It was, uh, nice meeting you…"

"You too." She offered distractedly.

The boy wandered away, deflated.

"Damn." Daryl snickered. "You're ice-cold."

"Oh hush." She scolded. "I wasn't sure how to get rid of him."

"Gon' have to find you a club so you can beat 'em away." He teased as she sat down to eat. Caleb clambered up beside her and snuggled against her.

"Stahp." She teased back, imitating his gravelly voice and twang.

He stepped behind her and wrapped his arms around her, resting his chin on top of her head for a moment. He kissed her hair and ruffled Caleb's blonde mop. "Bye, lil' man." He smiled as the boy beamed at him. "Bye, beautiful." He winked and sauntered away.

Carol could only laugh as he winked, and went back to her breakfast, blushing.

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><p><strong>Thoughts?<strong>

**If you have anything you want to see in a one-shot/short story for the Caryl ship, drop me a PM or review! I also quite like the platonic relationships so if you really like, say, Michonne + Daryl or Glenn + Carol as a BroTP I'll consider doing that, too!**

**Have a fab day!**


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